Taming the Fires
by the Druid
Summary: *Chapter Nine uploaded* AU story, set in modern times. Battousai, Zanza and Okashira make up an assasin team working for Hiko. KxK, AxM, SxM romance to be intertwined later.
1.

Taming the Fires  
  
Chapter One  
  
He quietly crept through the streets of downtown Vancouver, his senses alert for any form of movement around him. His red hair swished as he abruptly turned around hearing a twig break. His sharp eyes scanned the area...nothing.  
  
He sighed and continued on his route. This part of downtown was unusually quiet, too quiet. He was now near the beach and could see the moon reflected on the dark water. He leapt over the logs to land on the soft sand.  
  
"Shit," he murmured to himself as a few grains of sand found their way into his runners.  
  
Suddenly a soft yet gruff voice was heard through his fine nearly invisible earpiece. "Yo...Zanza here, we've found him. He's just about four hundred metres east from where you are on the beach. The son of a bitch is pretty fast, and he's armed. I've got an eye on him right now."  
  
"Sou da..." the young man breathed as he adjusted his small mike piece that was attached to his earpiece. "I'm on it."  
  
"We've got your back..."  
  
"Hai." The young man leapt back on to the logs and landed on the boardwalk again. He walked over to the small tree area that was on the other side of the boardwalk. Under the camouflage of the trees, he began to sprint.  
  
Another young man, this time taller watched a blond man from a branch of a tree. He had one hand on his kodachi hilt. Soon he heard the voice came through his earpiece, "See anything Okashira?"  
  
"Yeah," the man replied brushing his black bangs out of his eyes. "Two other men, armed." The man peered closer, "Looks like just guns."  
  
"Excellent...this is making it much easier," the other voice murmured. The dark haired man looked over and saw a person with spiky hair far away to the west of him leaning on a tree. Crouching lower on his thick branch, one hand grasping another branch a foot away he peered down. He saw Battousai running quickly towards him and stopped below his tree. The other man's head tilted up as he acknowledged Okashira.  
  
"Go," Okashira whispered into his mouthpiece. "I got your back."  
  
The young man walked out from the trees and made his way quietly down to the beach. He approached two of the men from behind them. The taller dark haired man approached their main target from behind as well.  
  
"Patrick Lecross," the Battousai murmured in perfect English, his katana held against the neck of one of the two men with him.  
  
"One hell of a son of bitch to catch," the spiky brunette replied coming out of nowhere shaking his head. He sighed, "You were also a bitch to find."  
  
"You three..." the blond man replied calmly, "are smarter than you look."  
  
"Where is Micaela Lavender," the raven-haired man asked, his kodachi tightening against Patrick Lecross' throat.  
  
One of two men lashed out with his chain, however the spiky haired brunette was quick to catch the fist and the chains, binding the metal chains around the man's neck and pulled once harshly. The man landed on the sand, dead.  
  
"Don't think we're incapable of this," the shorter young man said. "Either way you're going to end up dead, by our hand, or Miss. Lavender's. If you co-operate tonight, you'll live to see a few more days. If not...well...we'll just dispose you now."  
  
"Oh, and what would Miss. Lavender do to me?" Patrick asked raising an eyebrow.  
  
Zanza whipped out a small disk from somewhere. "Were you looking for this?"  
  
The blond man eyes widened at the sight of the small black disk. "You..."  
  
"Me what?" Zanza asked. "This was something you were supposed to give to Miss. Lavender. If I remember correctly, if you did not get this in to her, you would be dead. Is this not the new "contract" that Miss. Lavender needs to get a hold of?"  
  
"How..."  
  
"We have our sources," the Battousai replied with a small smirk. "Now...where is Miss. Lavender...I don't think you want to see anymore bloodshed tonight."  
  
"She's in town..."  
  
"Excellent," Zanza replied clapping his hands together. He then quickly punched the man that the Battousai was holding causing the man to cough up blood. The man in his injured state turned around dizzily and the Battousai brought his katana across the man's throat.  
  
With one quick moment the Okashira slid open Patrick Lecross' throat, and then turned to stand in front of the blond dying man. "But you said..." the dying man was able to choke out.  
  
The tall raven-haired man knelt down and looked the man in the eye. "The police are frustrated with you, and frankly they are fed up with trying to catch you. They know you can't be caught and contained, so they turned you over to someone else to try. So you ran into us. I'm sorry, but this is how we do it."  
  
"Damn..." the man said, and then breathed his last breath.  
  
Battousai found his cell phone in his pocket and quickly flipped it open. "It's done," he murmured to the person on the other line. He closed his phone and nodded to his partners. The night was finally over. 


	2. 

A.N:  
  
Wow…thanks guys, didn't think anybody would read this so quickly and review. I'm having so much fun writing this. I always thought that the boys could take a Weiss like approach to life in the 21st century. But I can always see those lovely boys as boarders too. Can you imagine them boarding down a black diamond trail? Kenshin's red hair flying…nice…  
  
Arashi: You said something about Sano being the demolition expert…him and explosives would get along very well here…bwahahahahaha *evil laugh* ^_^. Hope you don't mind me using this idea somewhere in the future when Sano feels the need to blow something up :P  
  
Chapter Two  
  
Kenshin woke up to the sound of his alarm clock ringing loudly. He slammed it shut with his hand and covered his head with his blanket. He turned over and snuggled back into his warm bed. However the warm thick blanket was ripped from his body a second later.  
  
"Get up baka deshi," a deep voice ordered, "I need to get to my classes early, and I need my T.A there as well."  
  
The red head yawned and turned around to find a tall man in a semi- formal outfit with his briefcase in hand. "Shishou go first…I'll be there, don't worry."  
  
"Get up. You're so lazy," Hiko Seijiro muttered opening the curtains, letting the bright sun shine in. It had snowed over night and now the place was covered with the white cotton like substance. "Hhmph…it snowed quite a bit last night. It's still snowing too."  
  
"It snowed?" Kenshin asked his senses all alert now. He turned to the window to see the big snowflakes coming down heavily. "The mountain conditions must be awesome today…" he murmured to himself, "I wonder if Sano and Aoshi…" He was suddenly hit over the head with Hiko's heavy briefcase. "Ororororo…" the young man mumbled and his eyes spiralling. His head now sported a big bump.  
  
Hiko Seijiro glared at his student, "So you had a rough night last night. But you still need to teach my first class, so get up now! Since it's snowing you better get an early start. The class starts at 9:30, and it's already 7:30. I expect to see you there by 9. If not you'll be swinging that katana more than you would like tonight."  
  
The red head muttered something as he went into his bathroom and slammed the door shut. Emerging a while later he trudged down the stairs and into the kitchen. Aoshi was already there, nursing his cup of coffee at the kitchen table.  
  
"Daijabou?" Aoshi murmured seeing his friend coming into room with a still sleepy face.  
  
"Shishou got me up," Kenshin replied making a face. He opened the fridge and began taking out some food to make himself a breakfast. "The boarding conditions must be great up there," he said wistfully.  
  
"Aa…perhaps Sunday?"  
  
"Hai."  
  
"I got the report in to Hiko by this morning by the way," Aoshi said as he moved to get the morning paper. The raven-haired man raised an eyebrow as he saw what was on the front page this morning. In bold print announced the death of Patrick Lecross, one of the men dealing in the case of selling of young girls that would eventually lead to murder.  
  
Kenshin shook his head as he glanced at the paper.  
  
"We did what we had too," Aoshi murmured, an understanding lit in his blue eyes, of what his friend was experiencing.  
  
"Fuck that class," Sano muttered coming into the room. His hair already spiked up in its usual style.  
  
"Ohayo to you too," Kenshin said chuckling slightly at his friend's dislike for the mornings. He finished his breakfast quickly and washed the remaining dishes.  
  
"Did you get the report in? Cause I'm going to get hell from Hiko if you didn't."  
  
"Hai…don't worry, it's fine," Aoshi replied getting up from the table and grabbing his messenger bag for school. "You ready?"  
  
"Aa," the red head replied grabbing his own bag.  
  
Sanosuke poured the remaining coffee in the pot into his travelling mug and picked up a donut from the plate on the table. "Let's roll. Have you guys thought about going up to Cypress yet for some boarding?"  
  
"Hai," Aoshi nodded grabbing the keys. "Possibly Sunday."  
  
"Excellent!"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Kenshin stood in front of his class that he was supposed to teach and surveyed the students. They were all second year biology students. "Great…these kids look older than me," the red head thought as he opened his book. "Good morning, I'm Kenshin, Mr. Hiko's T.A…" Kenshin began.  
  
In the class, sitting in the middle of the auditorium like classroom were two girls. One with long black hair tied in a high ponytail. The other smaller one had a thick long braid.  
  
"Never knew Caudillo Hiko* could have such a nice looking T.A. How old do you think he is?" the girl with the braid asked.  
  
The other girl grinned, "I'm going for 23. He's probably doing his Masters right now."  
  
"He looks younger though. He's so small."  
  
The girl with the ponytail squinted slightly to look over her T.A more closely. She noticed his unusual violet eyes, and the cross scar on his cheek. She didn't mind the scar, but thinking it gave the young man an…enticing look.  
  
"Are you interested Kaoru?" the girl with the braid asked.  
  
Kaoru just smiled and shook her head.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Late in the afternoon, when the sky was already getting dark, Kenshin stifled a yawn as he sat in one of the biology labs taking down observations from a few microscopes. He heard light footsteps coming into the room and turned around. He found Mr. Hiko coming into a room with another professor. "Here are the reports. When you're done they're supposed to go to the Dean."  
  
"No problem, I'll see that they'll get it Seijiro."  
  
Hiko nodded and the other professor left. He watched his student stare at him. "Nani baka deshi?" he asked reverting back to their native tongue.  
  
Kenshin shook his head and went back to his observations. "Someone has something up his ass," he murmured softly in English.  
  
"Did I hear something?"  
  
"Gomen…" the red-head replied quickly ducking his head before his teacher could hit him again.  
  
"To think you've inherited Hiten Misturigi Ryu. Kami-sama could have given me a smarter pupil of all things," the tall broadly built man muttered going to a drawer.  
  
Kenshin sighed deeply, used to his master's arrogance and the frequent insults. Soon another man came into the room, followed with a woman.  
  
"Saitou," Hiko greeted.  
  
Saitou murmured his own gruff greeting. "Do you have anywhere where we can talk in private?"  
  
"Here is fine. It's late, no one uses the labs right now."  
  
"What about that ahou?" Kenshin frowned as he heard what Saitou had said. The other man was going to say something else, but he looked at Kenshin closely, and saw a cross scar on his cheek. "Never mind, Battousai should stay."  
  
The red-head's eyes widened in surprise. Who was this man that knew about his other…occupation? His master seemed to be able to read his mind. "This is Hajime Saitou, he is the other half of this…partnership."  
  
"He has a team?" Kenshin asked.  
  
"Yes, we like to call them Saitou's Angels," Hiki replied with a smirk. "Except they're not exactly trained like you are."  
  
Saitou ignored Hiko's remark. "I think it's about time they met. I have some new information from our little hacker Takani. The information is here." The man handed Saitou a package. "Brief them, and I'll bring the girls over so we can get into this little circle that Miss. Lavender has established."  
  
"So it's time they met…" Hiko breathed. "I hope these idiots have a brain to say focused. I'm not sure about baka deshi here though."  
  
"Yes, I'm quite sure. If I'm not certain, you have two of the girls in your class that Battousai taught today," Saitou replied. "I'll call you if there are any changes. I shall see you tomorrow night. Until then."  
  
"Hai."  
  
Kenshin's cell phone vibrated and he picked up. "Hello?"  
  
"Yo, you coming home with your Shishou tonight?"  
  
"Probably, considering he won't let me out until I get all this data covered."  
  
"Ouch…" Sano winced on the other line. "Any ways, I'm going out with Megumi tonight…so can't give you a ride home. You should have brought your car."  
  
"Did Aoshi leave already?"  
  
"He went home early to study."  
  
"Okay…so I'll see you guys later then."  
  
Kenshin shut off his phone and looked at his master. "What?" Hiko asked wondering why his baka deshi was still looking at him. "Finish that data collection, I want to get home tonight too you know! So selfish, only thinking about yourself."  
  
The red-head sighed and returned back to work.  
  
  
  
A.N: Sorry this chapter wasn't too interesting yet. It'll get better the next chapter. It's one of those setting establishing chapters that I needed. So you guys can see what the boys are doing during the day and such.  
  
* Caudillo is a term in Latin American that means a powerful leader, aka a dictator (or at least that's what I got in history class) It's kind of an inside joke with my friends when we say a teacher's a caudillo, but you guys get my idea. 


	3. 

A.N: Good god…my head is pounding, and I screwed up my history seminar today. Damn those caudillo and Andrew Jackson. He IS a Elite Caudillo and a Folk Caudillo…combined qualities enough said…*mumbles some profanity* Thank you minna for reviewing…and I'm having so much fun writing this. Aoshi in khakis and a white cotton button up…with the buttons open…*begins to drool*…ohhh…such a nice sight.  
  
More character revelation in this chapter…next chapter will be the "interesting"…stuff, for the lack of a better word.  
  
Prophet: If you're reading this…I'm going to shi-ne you! Grrr…you get to go 11th! 11th! And I'm second…damn my luck.  
  
  
  
Chapter Three  
  
"Forever lailala lailalala. Hito shizuku no hamon. Forever…" Misao sang softly. Kaoru smiled as she watched her friend dancing around the room as she went to retrieve a few books on a shelf. She didn't mind Misao's singing. The girl had a sweet voice, but at the moment it contrasted slightly with this song by L'arc en Ciel.  
  
The door to their room was open by Hajime Tokio. She smiled as she watched Misao dancing around. Her braid swinging back and forth as she moved her body around to the beat. "Misao…Kaoru, may I speak to you for a moment about something."  
  
"Sure," Kaoru murmured pausing the stereo for a moment.  
  
"Hyde's voice…ahhh…" Misao said dreamily as she drifted back to reality. "He's so kawaii."  
  
"He looks slightly albino these days."  
  
"But his voice…mmmm…" Misao's eyes turned heart shaped and sparkly.  
  
"Misao!" Kaoru smacked the other girl behind the head with a textbook.  
  
Misao rubbed the back of her head which now sported a small bump and glared at Kaoru. The young girls turned to look at Tokio who took a seat on one of the girls' beds. "Micaela Lavender is still lose right now."  
  
"I thought the other group took care of it," Kaoru replied as she set a textbook down.  
  
The older woman shook her head. "No…they took down Patrick Lecross, one of her closer associates. She knows we're coming after her. Have I ever explained the other team to you?"  
  
"Here and there," Misao replied sprawled on to the bed.  
  
"As you know, you three were chosen out of many to be taken from your original orphanages, and to be raised as my own daughters. Hiko-san and Saitou-anata chose you three girls by looking at your ki," Tokio began.  
  
"Ki? As in battle spirit? Megumi has no ki!" Kaoru exclaimed a bit surprised at the news.  
  
"Oh yes she does. But she just happens to focus it elsewhere. She is quite the hacker you know," Tokio answered with a soft smile. "Three other boys were chosen by Hiko-san and Saitou-anata, those three were to be raised by Hiko-san himself. He chose the first one four years before the others and taught him the Hiten Misturugi Ryu technique. That boy is the oldest of the group by a year, Himura Kenshin. The other two chosen later on were Sagara Sanosuke, and Shinomori Aoshi…"  
  
"Interesting…" Kaoru thought, "so that's who our T.A was. Thought he was a bit…different." She thought for a moment more and her eyes widened. "Caudillo Hiko is the same Hiko-san Tokio's talking about? That's not possible."  
  
Kaoru cast a look to Misao. The other girl seemed oblivious to anything for the moment. "We were going to introduce you to one another three years ago, but Hiko-san brought up the point that at that age, you might be distracted. Due to this issue with Micaela Lavender, we think it's a good time for you six to pair up and finally meet."  
  
"Why choose three girls and three boys for this team? Why not go for just a single male team, or a female one?" another voice asked.  
  
The girls turned their heads to see Megumi leaning against the doorway. "When did you get back?" Kaoru asked.  
  
"Since you started this little conversation. Thank you for telling me my boyfriend is actually in a…certain occupation."  
  
"No problem," Kaoru replied with a slight sarcastic grin. "So how was it?"  
  
"The rooster head is still the biggest baka I've ever known," the elegant girl murmured looking at her nails. "Tokio-san, please continue."  
  
"You know how males and females both have their qualities. We though an equal balance might be nice. But of course you know how pig-headed those men can be sometimes," Tokio continued with a smirk. Misao and Kaoru burst into giggles, with Megumi standing there with smile on her lips.  
  
"You are a cruel woman koishii," a deep voice mumbled going past the room.  
  
This caused the two girls to burst into laughter, with Megumi now trying to suppress her giggles. "Megumi has found out about Miss. Lavender's little extravagant party this weekend. We would like you six to be a little…undercover work."  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Completely sure?" Tokio asked.  
  
"Very," Misao replied.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"Undercover de gozaru?" Kenshin asked tilting his head to one side.  
  
"Yes undercover you baka!" Hiko snapped. "You're working with the other female group to get some papers that we're looking for. It's Aoshi and the girl Misao to get these papers possibly hidden in a room. It should give us a list of…clients…that Miss. Lavender has."  
  
"Female group?" Sano asked from sprawled position on his coach. "There's a female group?"  
  
"Yes there is…Saitou's Angels…as we refer to them as. No pun on the movie or TV show intended," the tall built man replied crossing his arms. "They are the females equivalent of you three…any more questions?"  
  
"Ano…yes, why were we not told?"  
  
Hiko gave Kenshin one of his famous you-must-really-be-a-baka-deshi look. "Introducing them any earlier and you would be distracted to no return."  
  
"Sweet…" Sano replied with an evil smirk.  
  
"Oro?"  
  
Sano waved off Kenshin's questioning trademark. "Ignore him Hiki- san, he's been lacking sleep lately.  
  
Aoshi quiet until now finally spoke up, "So when is this?"  
  
"Tomorrow night, at the Hatheway Mansion near West Point Grey Academy."  
  
"West Point Grey Academy?" Sano whistled, "damn…rich area."  
  
"All right, enough said. Go do whatever you guys do at night. I have labs to mark," Hiko said waving his hand to dismiss them.  
  
Sano, Aoshi and Kenshin all gathered in the study room. Aoshi went to his research, Sano to the Playstation 2, and Kenshin to the computer to finish his essay. The room was relatively quiet except for the clicking of the keyboard, and some muttered profanity from the spiky-haired man.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Kaoru watched Megumi typing away on some program on a computer in the study room. There were two, one for their…research…and another for normal use. "What are you doing?" the younger girl asked.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
The other girl raised an eyebrow and put her book down. She leaned over Megumi's shoulder and looked at the screen. "Nothing my ass."  
  
"You don't have an ass," Megumi quipped. This earned her a smack from Kaoru. "Just kidding…god."  
  
"Who's computer are you hacking into?"  
  
"I don't know. But it's guarded quite well."  
  
"Do you really have nothing to do tonight?"  
  
"I just don't feel like doing it, that's all. When you spend most of your life at the books, you would want a break some time too."  
  
Kaoru returned to her desk and continued to finish off her lab report.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
The red-head idly typed away at his essay humming softly to an mp3 playing on winamp. With a satisfied style he moved his mouse over to the print option. Leaning back on his chair with his hands folded behind his head he waited for his essay to print.  
  
"You done?" Sano asked.  
  
"Hai hai."  
  
"Good, because I want to surf the web."  
  
"Fine. As long as I get Final Fantasy X."  
  
"Deal."  
  
Kenshin grabbed his essay from the printer and moved off the chair, on to the beanbag in front of the TV, which they used especially for their video games. He was surprised that Sano even allowed him to touch Final Fantasy X since they got the game. Sano had been quite possessive over it.  
  
"Shit," the spiky-haired brunette cursed as the screen in front of him shut off suddenly. His download was almost complete, but now would be completely erased. The computer loaded quickly and opened up to the desktop. On the desktop was a picture the famous Japanese romance author Yuki Eiri, half naked.  
  
Sano raised an eyebrow and cast a glance over to Kenshin. "I never knew you had a fetish for Yuki Eiri."  
  
"I don't, why do you ask?"  
  
"There's a picture of the guy half naked on the desktop. What the hell did you do with my pictures?"  
  
"I didn't touch the desktop."  
  
"We never touch your desktop," Aoshi added in without looking up from his work.  
  
Sano pursed his lips and he stared at the computer screen. Then something clicked. He moved his mouse and double clicked on a certain program.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Megumi hummed along with a song as she clicked around the computer. Then suddenly her computer shut off. The elegant girl narrowed her eyes at the black screen as she reached down to start the computer again. Once the computer loaded, the desktop displayed a picture of a scantily clad Britney Spears, with the words in the bottom: Don't fuck with me.  
  
"Don't start a war Megumi," Kaoru warned from the desk, "you practically got our whole hardrive erased last time."  
  
The other girl flipped her hair. "I had backup disks, it was fine."  
  
"Really, you would be thinking that you would be old enough not to start these wars, considering you're always telling us how immature we are."  
  
"This is not some childish fight over who has the possession of Yuki Eiri. Considering he is dating the lead singer of Bad Luck, who just happens to be male," Megumi shot back as her fingers quickly typed on the keyboard.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Sanosuke browsed through some sites on upcoming games for Playstation 2. Suddenly the internet window shut off, and Microsoft Word suddenly turned on. Words began to type across the screen. "You're such an idiot." Then the CD-Rom drive began to open and shut by itself.  
  
The young man rolled his eyes. "Such amateurs," he muttered to himself and restarted the computer. Clicking on to his "special program" he began to type again.  
  
Hours later Sano let out a loud yell. "THAT FUCKING LITTLE SON OF A BITCH!"  
  
Aoshi raised his head, and Kenshin, now reading a novel, looked up from the mini couch. "Nani?" the raven-haired man asked.  
  
"MY HARDRIVE IS GONE!"  
  
"Excuse me?" Kenshin and Aoshi both asked, now both alert. They had some important files saved on the computer for their classes. Aoshi had whipped out his kodachis out of nowhere suddenly had both sharp blades were pressed against Sanosuke's throat.  
  
"Do you have backup?"  
  
"Relax…" Sano brushed the man off. "I have backup."  
  
"You should stop doing this de gozaru," Kenshin muttered from the couch.  
  
"Hey, I didn't start it!" the other man protested.  
  
Kenshin shook his head and sighed.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"Now that was simple ne?" Megumi asked no one in particular.  
  
"It's almost 2 in the morning," Kaoru yawned.  
  
The older girl ignored Kaoru's comment. "The stupidity of that person matches the Rooster Head."  
  
"Whatever. I'm going to bed."  
  
Megumi smiled in satisfaction as she turned off the computer for the night. 


	4. 

A.N: Last chapter was rather boring in my opinion...but it needed to be in there. However, this should bring in something interesting. Arigatou for all the reviews. It seems like more people like this story than my Legolas one. Oh well...  
  
Oh yeah, Kenshin's hair is only chin-length. Just like at the end of the manga. I think it would suit him better in modern times. Oh, and sorry if I put up Britney Spears as the picture Sano posted on Megumi's desktop. It's just I know a LOT of girls would be offended, (I know I would kick whoever put that picture up for my wallpaper) and I needed something to fuel the "hacking" war. Not saying Sano has bad taste...after all, he is Sano ne?  
  
Chapter Four  
  
"IIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Misao yelled as she backed away from Megumi, her blue eyes were wide and flashed with anger.  
  
"Oh come on, it's just a dress," the other woman sighed rolling her eyes, in her hand was a dark blue dress on a hanger. All right, a dark blue revealing dress on a hanger.  
  
"I am not going to look like a slut!" the girl fired back. "You have got to be kidding me Megumi."  
  
"You know we're supposed to pose as the ahem, lovers, to the other team."  
  
"I don't recall lovers wearing that."  
  
"We are those girls you see in movies that are beautiful, elegant, scantily clad, intelligent, and completely unattainable. The envy of the other girls because we have gorgeous males, and worshipped by the other males."  
  
"Does that seem oxymoronic to you? Or is that just me? Since when did elegant, scantily clad and intelligent come in one package?" the other girl asked crossing her arms.  
  
Megumi was silent for a moment as she went through her head for any other ways to get Misao to wear the dress. Then something clicked in her head. "I'll erase your game file of War of Genesis if you don't wear this."  
  
"You can't do that!" the other girl protested.  
  
"Why not?" the older girl asked looking at her nails. "I mean it's just a silly game taking up space on the computer. Really Misao..."  
  
Misao gritted her teeth. Megumi was not playing fair. Misao glared at the woman and finally gave up. "Give me that ugly thing."  
  
"I knew there was a way to get you around," Megumi said with a smile. "And it's not anything ugly. It cost quite a bit."  
  
"It really must cost a lot if you even think it costs a lot," Misao muttered.  
  
"Oh, go take a shower first. We don't want your hair up in that braid tonight."  
  
Misao rolled her eyes, picked up the dress and entered the bathroom.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"Hey! I get to look like a pretty boy!" Sano exclaimed in a somewhat sarcastic tone. He stared at himself in the mirror wearing a white button up and black dress pants.  
  
"It's not that bad," Kenshin muttered, "at least not as bad as this." He himself was forced to wear a somewhat hugging tight black sweater with small silver designs that hugged his slender frame, along with some white pants that were a little...restrictive.  
  
Sanosuke snickered, "You look like one of those J-rockers. Heh heh."  
  
"You be quiet," Kenshin hissed back. "Do you think I need this?" he asked holding up a sakabatou.  
  
"How are you going to carry that in? Try this." Rummaging through his drawer Sanosuke threw him a small handgun. "This should suffice."  
  
Kenshin looked over the gun. "Fine. But you know that's not my style."  
  
"Not mine either," the other man replied. "Though you have to admit, it's much cleaner."  
  
"Yeah...but it doesn't feel right, as ironic as it sounds."  
  
The other man nodded his head in agreement as he adjusted his collar. Aoshi walked into the room that prompted Sanosuke to snicker again. "One J-rocker, and one Yuki Eiri."  
  
"Shut up," the tall man replied coming in with black dress pants, white button up underneath a dinner jacket with no tie.  
  
"You want a gun?"  
  
Aoshi's lips turned into a half smile. "You have no idea how funny that sounds, but yes."  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"Are those girls even close to finished yet?" Saitou muttered as he idly smoked a cigarette on the balcony.  
  
Tokio walked over and yanked the cigarette out of her husband's mouth and stepped on it. "Let the girls do what they need to do. You need a full effect ne anata?" Saitou only sighed, wrapped his arms around his wife, and buried his face into her hair.  
  
Minutes later Megumi was pacing the living room impatiently. Every once in a while looking up at the staircase, hoping that the other two girls would be ready. It was all right trying to persuade Kaoru into her outfit, but Misao proved to be difficult, and even more difficult when having her hair and make-up done.  
  
"Ano..." Kaoru murmured as she walked down the staircase. Megumi turned around and looked over the girl.  
  
"Very nice," the older girl approved looking over her handy work. "I should have been a make-up artist rather than becoming a doctor."  
  
"Is it okay?" Kaoru asked a bit nervously. She smoothed her hand down the long skirt she was wearing.  
  
"It's fine."  
  
Saitou stepped into the room and raised an eyebrow when he saw Kaoru. "This should prove to be an interesting night," he mumbled. But Tokio heard and gave him a slight shove.  
  
"MISAO! GET DOWN HERE!" yelled after waiting for another twenty minutes. There was no response from upstairs. But soon enough a young girl peered out of her room. "Don't be such a child Misao, get down here and do your job."  
  
"I look like a slut."  
  
"The dress is not that bad...that is unless you want something even more daring!" Megumi laughed, her fox ears popping up. Misao glared at the girl and crossed her arms over her chest. Megumi was serious again and studied her nails. "Of course...there is the notion of erasing all your War of Genesis files..."  
  
"You play dirty."  
  
"One of my many hidden talents," Megumi answered airly. "Now come on down."  
  
Misao reluctantly walked down the stairs and stood in front of everyone. Megumi eyed her other piece of work critically. "Mmhm...just as I thought, you do have a figure!" Misao's blue eyes flashed in anger, but she chose to remain silent.  
  
"Hhmph...the weasel girl doesn't seem to look like a weasel today," Saitou commented as he took out another cigarette.  
  
"NANI?" the young girl exploded.  
  
"No smoking in the house!" Tokio replied sharply snatching the cigarette away, throwing it into the nearest wastebasket. "Come on girls, the limo is waiting."  
  
"A limo? Sugoi!" Misao and Kaoru cried as they were ushered out the door quickly.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"Oh look, they're here," Hiko murmured, opening the door before the other troupe even ran the door bell. "Saitou-san, Tokio-san..." Hiko greeted.  
  
"Hello Hiko-san...are your boys ready?" Saitou asked with a slight smirk ushering the girls in. Misao and Kaoru a little surprised to see their professor open the door.  
  
The three boys were lounging on the sofas, when three pair of long shapely legs caught their attention. They looked up to see three girls walk into the den.  
  
"KITSUNE?" Sanosuke exclaimed getting up.  
  
"Hello baka," Megumi replied with a smug look on her face.  
  
"Damn...I wish I knew earlier," he murmured. He walked over to her with a cocky smile apparent on his face. He eyed the thin-strapped black dress she wore with a plunging neckline. "You look very nice today..."  
  
"I am going undercover," she replied flipping her hair. "I have to look good, even if you don't..." she trailed off, her eyes caught a small part of his upper toned chest revealed by the unbuttoning of the first two buttons of his shirt. Her eyes hungrily roamed the rest of his body and her mouth quirked up into a smile. "Then again..." she purred a wicked glint in her eyes.  
  
Sanosuke smirked and lowered his head to capture her lips in a deep kiss.  
  
The other four were a bit uncomfortable as they tried not to watch the intimate interaction between Sanosuke and Megumi. "That's enough for now Sanosuke," Hiko quipped breaking the couple up. "Stay focused."  
  
"So...this is your male team..."  
  
"Yes..." Hiko-san replied. "Misao I want you to go with Aoshi..." The girl nodded but stood in place. "Well go over to him!"  
  
Aoshi watched the girl, Misao, as she stood next to her friend. His eyes wandered up and down her lithe frame, appreciating what he saw. A long curve hugging dark blue coloured dress, strapless, with a large circular piece of fabric cut out at the back. There was a slit on one side of the dress that went up to mid-thigh, giving him a view of her nice legs. Half of her long hair was put in a bun, held in by two chopsticks, the button half of her hair was let down, a few pieces of the shorter bangs framing her face. Yet, there was something familiar about this enticing girl that he could not place a finger on at the moment.  
  
"Hiko is as touchy as he is in class," Misao mumbled as she walked over to sit next to Aoshi. She had caught his heated gaze for a moment, before a calm mask was slid back on to his face.  
  
"Now...that leaves baka deshi with Kaoru," Hiko announced smugly, noticing Aoshi's response to his chosen partner.  
  
Kaoru walked over to the young man, her T.A, wearing small- framed blue tinted shades. "He looks like some J-rocker," she thought to herself.  
  
Kenshin watched the girl calmly as he watched her walk over to him. He let his eyes take in the beauty of the woman that was to be his partner. The slit in the maroon coloured skirt showing off her legs. She wore a black thin-strapped top that hinted on the curves she had underneath.  
  
"She's well proportioned," Kenshin thought, allowing his alter-ego side to show.  
  
"You've all been briefed. Act like couples. Remember to keep that attitude, sharp, intelligent and witty. All right, remember your weapons. Don't use them unless it is necessary. You six all into the limo...you have a party to be at."  
  
Kenshin was the last to exit and turned to his master before leaving. "Ano...Shishou..."  
  
"I know it is not your nature to be intelligent," Hiko murmured. Kenshin ignored the insult. "But let your Battousai's attitude show for once. But remember to keep a leash on your dragon. I still have some faith left in you."  
  
Kenshin nodded, ignoring the last remark as well, and left the house. Hiko crossed his arms as he watched the limo drive off into the night. Saitou walked up to him with Tokio on his arm. "Think they'll be okay?"  
  
"They'll be fine," Hiko replied confidently, "besides, I raised them."  
  
Saitou rolled his eyes and walked into the house. All Saitou, Tokio, and Hiko could do now was wait. It was up to the six young adults to do the rest. 


	5. 

A.N: Heh heh...arigatou Inuki for pointing that mistake out. I fixed it now. I must remember to upload my chapters correctly next time. I'm getting complaints in the form of e-mails now...trippy.  
  
Sorry for the lack of updates too...exams are a nuisance ne?  
  
Chapter Five  
  
Kenshin sat with Kaoru next to him, silent. The silence was infuriating to the girl as she played with the hem of her top.  
  
"Nervous?" Kenshin asked softly.  
  
"Not really."  
  
The two fell silent again. Kaoru stole another glance at the red-head and her blue eyes caught the cross-scar on his cheek. It was partially hidden by a light curtain of his fire red hair. She wondered how someone would end up with a scar that prominent.  
  
Aoshi sat as quietly as the small girl next to him. His mind was sorting out his memories, trying to place Misao. He went back to his days at a training hall, which also served as a restaurant, known as the Aoiya. As far as he remember, he had spend much of his childhood training. At the age of sixteen, he had become the Onibanwanshu's Okashira, thus beginning his years as a master. He had given up his title two years ago to fully focus on his graduate studies.  
  
As he sorted out the memories at the Aoiya, he landed on a student he had when he just began teaching. Her name was Mi-chan, or so he had called her since she arrived at the dojo. She was a bright energetic child, catching on quickly. He had passed her on to one of the older masters, Okina, who also owned the Aoiya. From Okina she learnt to use kunai. After she left him, he couldn't recall seeing her again, since he became quite busy later on with "other" things.  
  
"Mi-chan," he murmured softly to himself looking absently looking out the tinted window. Then it hit him...this girl beside him, all grown up, she was Mi-chan.  
  
Misao jerked her head up. Mi-chan? This was a nickname she hadn't heard in a while. "Hmmm?" she looked up at Aoshi.  
  
The man gave her a half smile and shook her head. "You've grown Mi-chan."  
  
"Nani? No one calls me Mi-chan," Misao replied giving him a weird look. The last time she remembered someone calling her Mi-chan was some shrimpy looking guy who was the Okashira at the training hall she was in. Since he passed her on to Okina, she hadn't seen him around lately. She was sure it didn't look like Aoshi here.  
  
Megumi and Sanosuke were cuddled up as soon as they entered the limo. The elegant girl had her head against Sanosuke's chest. One hand was entwined with his as he had the other arm wrapped loosely around her waist.  
  
"You know what?" Sanosuke began.  
  
"What."  
  
"Some bastard killed my hardrive yesterday."  
  
Megumi raised an eyebrow. "Oh really."  
  
"Must have been some fucked up guy because he posted up a picture of Yuki Eiri on my desktop." Megumi hid her face in his shirt trying to contain the smirk on her face when she heard the famous J-romance author's name. Sanosuke noticed this and tilted her chin up to look at him. "What's so funny Fox?"  
  
"Nothing," she replied giving her a sweet smile before leaning in to kiss him lightly. She settled herself back against the man. "You're such a baka sometimes Rooster-head."  
  
"Where did that come from suddenly."  
  
"Oh...nowhere."  
  
"Nowhere indeed," Sanosuke asked kissing the top of her head.  
  
The limo arrived in front of a large stone mansion. "Classy," Sanosuke murmured as he stepped out of the limo first with Megumi. Promptly he entwined one hand with hers as he led her up the pathway to the mansion. Already light could be seen through the hedge of tall bushes that hid the front lawn of the estate. People were seen streaming in from various cabs, limos, and luxury cars. There were making parking attendants at the front of the limo as well.  
  
Kenshin looked around taking in the aristocratic air. He saw Sano look at him, then at Kaoru. Then he smirked. "Come on Kenshin, your lover won't wait forever." He glared at the spiky-haired man and then sighed deeply. Closing his eyes, he let himself relax. When his eyes next open, they were tinted with amber behind his tinted glasses. Giving Kaoru a confident yet slightly cocky smile he wrapped an arm around her waist and led her in.  
  
Aoshi helped Misao out of the limo and then waved for the driver to leave. The two looked at each other for a moment, before he took her hand and led her up the walkway. Her hand, engulfed by his, was a little rough, probably from handling the kunais for so many years. Arriving at the entrance of the door they were met by a tall beefy typical looking bouncer.  
  
"Invitations?"  
  
Aoshi took them out of his coat and flashed them in front of the man's face. The man nodded and let the six in. Going to a little corner before they split their ways, Kenshin spoke to them. "Aoshi, Misao...you guys know what to do. Contact me by cell if you get anything and we will cover for you."  
  
"Hai," Aoshi murmured.  
  
"As for the rest of us now, we mingle."  
  
The two other men noticed how Kenshin's eyes were not the normal violet. If one peered closely, the violet was now some other shade hidden behind the blue glasses. There was something different about his air as well. His ki was stronger and quite threatening, showing off the power the young man hid inside. He seemed empowering, though he was dwarfed in size when compared to Aoshi and Sanosuke. There was only one time when he changed eye colour, which was to an amber, and that was during their late night missions.  
  
"Excellent," Sanosuke replied grabbing Megumi's hand. "Where's the closest bar?"  
  
Megumi smacked his arm, hard. "You baka, no drinking on the job! Now come on." She pulled him away from where the alcohol drinks were served and off to the back of the mansion. Misao and Aoshi walked towards the staircase, stopping once in a while to chat with the people.  
  
Kenshin wrapped one arm around Kaoru and made their way into a ballroom. The ballroom was not used for its specific purpose today. Couches were strewn around the outer edge of the large room and people were chatting rather than dancing. Keeping his arm tight around Kaoru's small waist he led her to unoccupied couch. As they lounged together for a few minutes, sipping on some wine that was offered, two men came walking towards the couple.  
  
"Hello," the dark-haired man greeted. "You look very familiar, though you're not a regular to Miss. Lavender's gatherings are you?"  
  
"We're not," Kenshin replied.  
  
"I'm Lance Wong, one of the heads of the Tech BC Corporate Company," the young man said. "This man here is my friend James Walker, big part of the movie industry."  
  
"Hideaki Seijiro," Kenshin replied.  
  
"Hideaki...sounds very familiar as well," James murmured, "I heard about Giovanni that has just recruited a very popular Japanese model. Would that be you?"  
  
"Yes," Kenshin replied. "Of all things Shishou picks for me, I take a model's position," he thought to himself. The underground association that they worked for had strategically worked out all the information for them. Any try at tracing them would lead back to the actual model. Who just happened to look a bit like Kenshin, and had recently dyed his hair red. Kenshin's hair did a fine job at hiding his cross scar as well.  
  
"Your English is impeccable though," James replied, "studied in North America?"  
  
"I grew up here, moved to Japan when I was a teenager, and then moved back here recently. But apparently now I need to travel to Milan," Kenshin replied with a small smile. He noticed that Lance Wong was eyeing Kaoru by his side.  
  
"Hideaki..." Kaoru murmured entwining one hand with his.  
  
"Yes?" Kenshin asked, seeing that Kaoru had noticed the lust that seemed to fill the other man's eyes.  
  
"I'm going to get another drink. I'll be back," she whispered in his ear, before giving his mouth a quick kiss. Kenshin nodded and saw the girl watch off. He watched the back of her figure. She walked with a slight more sway in her hips than when he first saw her earlier. His eyes glanced at Lance and James, and noticed they were both watching Kaoru intently as well.  
  
"Nice piece of work," James murmured absently.  
  
"Did you say something?" Kenshin asked turning his head to give the men a fixed look.  
  
James was caught for a moment as he saw the red-head's piercing gaze, but regained his cool professional air quickly. "Is she yours?"  
  
"Yes," Kenshin replied with a half smile. "Yue is beautiful, no?"  
  
The other man nodded. "How long have you known her?"  
  
"Two years," he replied. They continued to make polite chat, Lance and James slipping in questions about his career as a model here and there. "So...this house belongs to Miss. Lavender?" Kenshin asked turning the conversation around.  
  
"Yes it does. The interior decorating is quite nice, I introduced the decorator to her myself," Lance replied.  
  
"I see," Kenshin replied. "She must be quite an impressive woman to have a house like this."  
  
"Oh she certainly is," Walker replied. "Have you not met her before?" Kenshin smiled inwardly, that was just what he hoped the man would ask.  
  
"No...I haven't had the pleasure yet," was Kenshin's response. "This is the first time I've been to any of her parties." He spied Kaoru walking back towards him with two cocktails in both hands. She handed one to Kenshin before half sitting on his lap, crossing one leg over another. This gave the other two men a view of her long slim legs as the long skirt gaped open at the slit. Kenshin wrapped an arm around her, bringing her in closer.  
  
"I'm such a slut," Kaoru thought inwardly with a smile as she nuzzled his neck. He smelt good, a mixture of some soap, and his own boyish scent with a touch of sandalwood.  
  
Kenshin chuckled getting further into the act. "You're distracting love."  
  
"I didn't do anything though," she pouted, and then innocently looked at the other two men.  
  
"You vixen," he murmured placing his cocktail on a small table, and then trailing a finger down her throat.  
  
A voice came over in his ear, slightly jolting him. "We think we found the room," a deep voice murmured. "Cover."  
  
"Hai..." Kenshin breathed before kissing Kaoru's neck once. He whispered in her ear. "We're needed upstairs." He then kissed her neck again.  
  
"Aa..." she purred in response. Both had to admit they were having fun putting on this little "act" of theirs.  
  
Lance and James looked at each other. The young couple seemed to be in a world of their own. The red-head kissed his girlfriend on the neck again and then looked at the two men with a satisfied smirk as he got up. "If you excuse me, I have some people I need to meet with now."  
  
"No problem. Pleasure meeting you Hideaki."  
  
"Pleasure is mine," Kenshin replied with a smile before heading for the staircase, one arm slink around Kaoru's slender waist.  
  
Aoshi sighed and looked at the oak door in front of him. Misao had been inside earlier, and she was pretty sure this was the office room that had the papers. If it wasn't, then they could check the bedroom that was adjoined to the office. But for now, they needed to wait for Kenshin and his partner to come upstairs to cover for them.  
  
He sighed deeply as he waited, Misao by his side, one hand still entwined with his unconsciously. He spotted his friend coming up the stairs and walking over to them. He half-smiled, Kaoru and Kenshin made quite the couple. Kenshin looking like the model that he needed to portray, and Kaoru was just the perfect girlfriend.  
  
"We got you," Kenshin said. Aoshi nodded and looked around. Seeing the place was clear, the two entered the room quickly. 


	6. 

A.N: Awww...I feel so special from all those reviews.  
  
Heh heh heh...I should be doing theory right now, but this is more interesting. *glares at harmony five test papers on desk* Hope this chapter is okay. I seriously think my writing skills are deteriorating.  
  
  
Chapter Six  
  
"Mmmm..." Megumi purred as she danced with Sanosuke slowly. She noticed that he was not paying any attention to her, but to something, or rather someone on the balcony. "Rooster head...BAKA!" she hit him on the side of the head.  
  
Sanosuke winced. "What?"  
  
"Who are you looking at?" she demanded.  
  
The spikey-haired man gripped her waist tighter, pulling her closer to him. "Jealous?"  
  
"Of course not," she replied.  
  
He gently brushed his lips against her bare neck, letting the tip of his tongue flick out quickly. "Are you sure?" he whispered, as he gently bit the rim of her ear. Megumi didn't answer. "Look up," he murmured again. Megumi tilted her head to look up at the railing. She saw Kaoru cuddled up with her partner. She smiled to herself, Kaoru never dated, and here she was all curled up beside a man she hardly even knew.  
  
"We're going to keep watch down here kitsune," Sanosuke breathed. Megumi nodded and placed her head on his chest once again.  
  
******  
  
Kenshin had to admit this was one of his more enjoyable missions so far tonight. The girl in his arms shifted slightly and he loosened his hold on her to allow her to move. He marvelled at how she fit perfectly in his arms, and how he was so natural with her, although they only met tonight.  
  
"Kenshin...watch out," Sano's voice whispered in his ear.  
  
He pulled Kaoru towards him closer and nuzzled her neck. "You taste sweet," he whispered, loud enough that the group of girls that were passing could her. They gave Kaoru a look of disgust before moving on. Kaoru just smirked at them as she pressed herself closer to Kenshin.  
  
******  
  
Aoshi carefully flipped through papers with a gloved hand, looking for any form contact list. Elimination of the top circle was necessary to reach Miss. Lavender, whoever she was. It was rare to find pictures of her anywhere. He removed a book from one of the drawers in the desk. As his hands accidentally brushed the side of the drawer he felt a small crack.   
  
"Interesting," he murmured before placing the book down on the desk and crouching down. Removing his glove he gently pulled open the small crack and felt inside. Taking the small package he placed it into a small pocket in his pants.  
  
"Did you find anything?" Misao's voice came from another part of the room. Aoshi looked up and nodded before looking around the drawer again. "Oh good, what is it?" she bound over to him with a smile. He smiled inwardly. This girl had such energy.  
  
Reaching into his pocket he pulled out the small package and handed it to her silently. Misao took the package and looked at it. It was wrapped in ornate paper that she recognized as Japanese made. The package probably held a thin book since it was about the length of her hand.  
  
"We should go."  
  
"Maybe there's something else."  
  
"We shouldn't stay in here long..."  
  
"Aoshi..." she said persistently looking him in the eye, "one more search doesn't hurt, besides Kaoru and Kenshin are guarding the door."  
  
"Fine."  
  
******  
  
Megumi narrowed her eyes as she saw a man and two women walking up the stairs heading for Kenshin. "Sano..." she whispered turning him around slightly so he could see.  
  
"That's Taki Dominic Chan," Sano murmured in a surprised tone. "Rumoured to be part of the upper circle close to Miss. Lavender."  
  
"Head of a large clothing line down in the States as well," Megumi replied, "I'm surprised he's here."  
  
"Bastard isn't up to anything decent. Those two girls by his side do not look like associates, but rather as something else..." he trailed off eyeing the curves of one of the girls and her dress's gaping neckline. Megumi hit him in the shoulder hard. "Sorry kitsune," and he gently kissed her lips.  
  
She sighed and wrapped her arms tightly around Sanosuke. "How am I supposed to keep dating you if you're always looking at the other girls Sanosuke?" She pulled his head closer to hers, until their foreheads were touching.  
  
"I'm not going to look at any other girls ever again, other than you, I promise you."  
  
"You made the same promise last week," she replied pushing him away and stepping off the dance floor.   
  
The spiky-haired man rushed after the girl and caught her in his arms. "Please Megumi." He laid butterfly kisses on her neck, before turning her around completely. "Koishii..." Megumi rolled her eyes and looked away, still held in her boyfriend's arms. He flicked his tongue out to taste her skin, which caused her to squirm slightly. Sanosuke smirked, he knew he won. He captured her lips in a heated kiss that Megumi could not pull away from. Still kissing they moved into a more secluded area of the room.  
  
******  
  
Kaoru jabbed Kenshin in the stomach gently as she saw someone coming upstairs. She scanned the bottom floor for any sight of her friend and her partner/boyfriend/lover. She caught them in a secluded corner kissing. She huffed to herself in frustration and turned to Kenshin. She could tell he was not pleased as well.   
  
Kenshin absently wrapped an arm around the girl when he saw Sanosuke. Then he saw the three people walking up the stairs, and were now moving closer to them. There was one man, in his late forties, and two women in possibly their early twenties. He had one arm encircled around each girl's waist. Kenshin cringed inwardly in disgust, these girls were half the man's age.   
  
"Gross," he heard Kaoru muttered. They seemed to be heading directly for the room Aoshi and Misao were in. Kaoru thought quickly and grabbed Kenshin by the neck and pressed her lips against his, moving to the door.  
  
The red-head froze for a moment. What the hell was she doing? He felt himself being led towards the door and finally understood her plan. Kenshin pushed Kaoru against the door to the study and now kissed a path down to her neck. He heard Kaoru moan softly, adding to the effect they were trying to create. She gripped the back of his shirt tightly.  
  
He moved back to her mouth and kissed her and then gently bit her bottom lip. He heard Kaoru kick the heel of her shoe to the door. In the corner of his eye Kenshin saw the man and the two girls were now observing them. "I can't wait to get you tonight," he murmured nuzzling his nose with hers.  
  
"Mmhm..." Kaoru replied with a slight giggle.  
  
The man coughed behind them and the two looked up. Kenshin put on a smirk, while Kaoru's eyes went wide and innocent. "Ahem...I need to get into the room, you two are...blocking my way."  
  
"Sorry, we were a bit...caught up," Kenshin replied, pausing slightly in the middle of his sentence. He kept one arm around Kaoru's waist holding her close to him.   
  
"Not surprised coming from you Hideaki," the man murmured before making way for the door handle. He paused and turned his head. "There are other rooms in this house, if you need them."  
  
Kenshin nodded. "Thank you."  
  
The man entered the room with his two girls and promptly shut it. A click could be heard from the inside as the door locked. Aoshi and Misao soon appeared.   
  
Kenshin and Aoshi walked a bit behind them, as the two girls chatted together as they went down the stairs.  
  
"Did you find it?" Kenshin asked.  
  
"I think so." There was silence between the two men. "I saw you and Kaoru."  
  
"It was a distraction."  
  
"Oh really," Aoshi asked with a tone of disbelief, "looked a little too heated to be a distraction, other than to yourselves."  
  
"It was an act," Kenshin replied again.  
  
"Could put on a "different" act to distract the man," the taller of the two replied.  
  
"Sanosuke and Megumi were distracted and didn't give us a warning. She improvised quickly," the red-head tried to explain.   
  
Kaoru looked back and gave Kenshin a bright smile. "Do you want a drink?"  
  
"Anything non-alcoholic would be fine. Thank you," he replied.  
  
"We'll be where Megumi and Sanosuke are," Kaoru replied, "I'll meet you there."  
  
Kenshin nodded and watched the two girls go off. He saw Aoshi fix him a look. "You're lying to yourself, you like her," Aoshi said softly. The two remained silent as they walked their way towards Megumi and Sanosuke.  
  
******  
  
"What was that?" Misao asked turning Kaoru around once the two men were gone.  
  
"What?"   
  
"Your little "thing" with that red-head, what's his name..."  
  
"...Kenshin. That little "thing" was a distraction to let your guys out using the next door. I had to improvise considering Megumi and Sanosuke were making out on the ground floor and were too caught up with each other to warn us before hand."  
  
"Excuses, excuses, bottom line: You like him. You two are cute together too! You should go out with him."  
  
"That was quick."  
  
"What? It's not like you've dated anyone else before, other than that psycho freak Enishi."  
  
"That was ages ago back in grade ten," Kaoru argued. "I don't have time right now, and I can't believe you're arguing with me like this! It's as if we're back in grade eight again!"  
  
"What?" Misao asked with a shrug. "I'm just helping you look for potentials here. That's what best friends are for."  
  
Kaoru sighed. "This is ridiculous."  
  
"I'll stop bothering you then, but tell me one thing."  
  
"Shoot."  
  
"Is he a good kisser?"  
  
Kaoru looked down at her shoes and then looked back up with a glint in her eye. "Undeniably. Now I feel so immature." Misao laughed and linked an arm with hers and walked over to the bar.  
  
******  
  
The night was finally over an hour later as the six made their exit. Sano was getting an earful from Kenshin, Aoshi, Misao and Kaoru as they yelled at him for not paying attention. Megumi just sat quietly laughing internally as they did not pin her as the culprit.   
  
The limo stopped off at the girl's house first. Sanosuke walking Megumi to the house, and then lingering by the doorway kissing until Saitoh kicked him back into the limo. The other two men whacked him again when he returned with a bump on his head.  
  
"So that's done and over," Sanosuke replied as the three lounged in their den watching late night comedy.  
  
"No thanks to you," Aoshi muttered.  
  
Sanosuke chose to ignore him. "Who's up for some hardcore boarding tomorrow?"  
  
"As long as you're driving," Kenshin replied.  
  
"Fine, so boarding it is." 


	7. 

A.N: Dude…the last chapter was not my usual writing style. There may be a chance of a revision of chapter six.  
  
Karina Kineshi: I'm going to keep the retrospective thing in mind, thanks for the suggestion. Actually I don't think it matters whether it's a period after Miss or not, but generally it should be.  
  
Math midterm is over! Yay! Spent most of my evening at the Y…so fun…now I have this image of Aoshi as a lifeguard…drool…  
  
  
  
Chapter Seven  
  
The alarm clock went off in Kenshin's room the next day, but his hand slammed down on it before it could emit a second beep. He groaned and turned over, curling deeper under the blankets in his warm bed. Sanosuke would barrel through his door soon to force him up to hit the slopes early. They wanted to take in a full day, then dinner out, and perhaps catch a late flick.  
  
Muttering a curse to himself, he realized he couldn't sleep anymore. Flipping on to his back he stared at his light blue ceiling. Memories came back from his childhood at the orphanage, of early mornings where he would stare at the light purple ceiling. Kenshin remembered vaguely of anything before landing in the orphanage. His parents he could not remember at all. Life at the orphanage wasn't too awful. He was only there for three years before he met his Shishou.  
  
Suddenly blaring music could be heard on the right side of his wall. Signifying that Sanosuke was up and about in his room, probably getting his gear ready for the outing. It was the first time this season for Kenshin to be boarding. As much as he liked the cool wind whipping across his face, he also liked the feeling of warmth in his bed.  
  
"IT'S A BRAND NEW DAYYYYYYY!!!" Sanosuke sang as he flung Kenshin's door open and walked in. "A beautiful day for boarding with blue skies!" The curtains opened with a loud "shhhhek" sound. Turning around he clicked on Kenshin's stereo, which was tuned to some alternative channel. Sanosuke turned the volume up and grinned at Kenshin.  
  
The red-head ducked his head underneath the pillow and pulled his covers up. He wondered why Sanosuke never had this energy every other day. Knowing the noise, and Sano would never go away, he got up, giving the tall man a glare before heading for the bathroom.  
  
"You amaze me sometimes Sano," Aoshi murmured as he came out of his room, observing Kenshin walking into the bathroom in a huff.  
  
Thirty minutes later the boys were out of the house and in the jeep, heading for the mountains. "I will twist knife and bleed my aching heart, and tear it apart," the spiky-haired man belted out as he drove. Aoshi had one elbow propped up on the window ledge, his head propped up with his hand. His eyes were closed as he tried to separate his mind from the loud blasting music. Kenshin sat in the back with his earphones, letting his own music counter Sano's.  
  
Stopping at a light, Aoshi turned his head to look at the next car, which was a van, with the windows all open. Inside were five guys, and two girls, or was one a boy. His brows furrowed as he watched two of them argue loudly…in Japanese.  
  
"Baka neko," the one with purple hair said calmly turning his head away from the orange-head boy.  
  
"Who are you calling a baka neko you damn rat!" the orange haired boy yelled.  
  
"Ano…Yuki-kun, Kyo-kun…" the long-haired girl murmured.  
  
"Do you want a candy Tohru?" the blond girl, or boy, asked with energy offering a lollipop.  
  
"Arigatou Momiji-kun," the girl replied.  
  
"Are Yuki and Kyo going to be all right?" the boy with black and white hair asked softly.  
  
"Don't worry about them," the driver with the dark hair replied with a grin.  
  
"Aa…" the man beside him agreed.  
  
"You're such a baka, you're attracting attention now!" the purple haired boy said looking at Aoshi.  
  
The raven-haired man half smiled in amusement, "Gomen nasai…"  
  
"Where are you going?" the blond asked.  
  
"To the mountains to go boarding."  
  
"Honto? We're going to Whistler!" the blond replied. The light turned green. "Ja!" Aoshi nodded his head. The kid was adorable.  
  
Adrenaline pumped through Kenshin's blood as he literally flew down the black diamond trail with Aoshi an hour later. This was what it was all about, the mountain. It was a form of escape for the three. Finally reaching the bottom of the trail, they met up with Sanosuke.  
  
"The snow is just perfect today," the spiky-haired man exclaimed.  
  
"Aa…" Aoshi agreed.  
  
"I'm going up Panorama, see you guys later."  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Hours later, the air was getting colder as it reached evening. Aoshi, Kenshin and Sanosuke had changed out of their boarding gear and into some normal clothes. Getting back into the car, they were ready to drive back, heading for the nearest movie theatre.  
  
"So what did you guys think of the girls last night?" Sanosuke asked.  
  
"Nice," the red-head replied.  
  
"Yes," the raven-haired man agreed.  
  
"Is that all you can say nice and yes? Can you be any more unoriginal?"  
  
"Possibly," Aoshi replied with a hint of sarcasm.  
  
Kenshin's phone suddenly vibrated in his pocket, and he took it out. Taking a look at the number, it was his Shishou's. "Hello?" he answered.  
  
"Baka deshi…"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I need you home. You have a job tonight."  
  
"We went out yesterday!" Kenshin protested.  
  
"That wasn't considered any outing, all you got was info. We need you to take out someone tonight."  
  
"We kind of planned something already tonight."  
  
"Well do it tomorrow."  
  
"Wait." Kenshin turned to his friends. "We have a job tonight."  
  
"What the hell? Didn't we go out yesterday?" Sanosuke asked.  
  
"That was research, he wants us to take someone out tonight."  
  
"You have got to be kidding me," Sanosuke exclaimed. "I'm on break!"  
  
"What break?" Hiko snorted on the other line. "Did I tell you that Saitou's girls are going to be there?"  
  
Kenshin half smiled and looked at Aoshi and Sanosuke. "Saitou's girls are going to be there."  
  
"Girls? Count me in," Sano replied quickly.  
  
"I don't know…" Aoshi muttered.  
  
"Naw…Ice Boy really wants to go too! Tell Hiko-san we're coming home!" Aoshi rolled his eyes and bit back a smart remark. He would save them for later when Sanosuke got them in trouble.  
  
In the study room back at their house, Sanosuke was busy clicking away at the mouse, his fingers also flying on the keyboard. He had managed to scrounge up a lot of information regarding their next hit, Daylin Lock. He was a young upstart in the movie business, already making millions from his first two films due to little teeny-boppers who idolized over the pretty boy.  
  
"Are you sure it's wise to take out someone famous like him?" Sanosuke asked his eyes skimming the writing on his screen.  
  
"It doesn't sound like a good idea," Kenshin muttered looking over the other man's shoulder. "If anyone finds out, we're really screwed."  
  
"He's rumoured to have bought women, raped them, and then murdered them. But this is only underground information," Aoshi answered. "He has connections, very close connections to Micaela Lavender, or so that's what some people have been saying quietly lately. It's easy to send one of the girls in and see what happens."  
  
"Not Megumi!" Sanosuke answered quickly.  
  
"Fine, but one of the two other girls," Aoshi replied. The raven-haired man looked at the clock. "Let's eat, then we're leaving."  
  
"Who's cooking?" Kenshin asked.  
  
"You," the two answered.  
  
Kenshin shook his head and headed for the kitchen.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
The club they entered was smoky, and named the Black Rose. The club had a strange gothic design. Heavy alternative music was blaring from the speakers everywhere, to the point where the bass could be felt underneath one's feet. The dance floor was hot and heavy, with couples melding their bodies with one another.  
  
Kenshin took a step left to avoid a dancing couple and continued to walk around. He spotted a large group of people in the far back of the club. He spotted the target easily among them. Daylin Lock was quick to spot with all the girls draped over him. He walked closer and saw a girl with dark hair, she was sitting on his lap.  
  
"Kaoru…they chose Kaoru?" he thought to himself, slightly disgusted at the thought. He caught himself thinking and sighed inwardly. Since when did he get possessive over a girl he had only met once?  
  
"Jealous?" a voice purred beside his ear.  
  
Kenshin turned slightly to see a smirking Megumi standing beside him. "No," he replied, "I hardly know her."  
  
"Hardly know her to be kissing her yesterday?"  
  
"That was for distraction."  
  
"I was sure you were distracted."  
  
"Oi, Fox!"  
  
Megumi smirked at Kenshin once more before leaving to return to Sanosuke. It was going to be a long night, and already the loud music was getting to Kenshin's head, and the hot smoky air did not help at all. He finally decided to head for the bar and just sit and watch.  
  
Aoshi felt a hand slide across his butt when he walked across the dance floor. Turning his head he found a petite blond giving him a smile. "You want to dance?"  
  
He shook his head.  
  
"Come on, you're a big boy right?" she pouted leaning her body a certain way to show off her bust. "I promise you it will be good."  
  
"Aoshi…" another voice purred and he felt a body rub up against his. "You're here finally, I missed you."  
  
He turned to find a Misao, but a different looking Misao in front of him. This one was in a small halter-top and a small skirt. He didn't think she was one to be so daring. But of course, last night her dress was quite something as well. "Misao."  
  
"Aoshi…" she purred again walking around until she shoved the other girl aside. "Dance with me, please?" She pressed up against him and looked at him with her blue beguiling eyes.  
  
Aoshi sighed and took her towards the dance floor, leaving the other girl fuming on the side. Misao threw a grin to the girl before she disappeared with him.  
  
The girl sitting on Daylin Lock was fuming. Why on earth was she picked to be the one to seduce Daylin Lock? The pretty boy movie star was getting on her nerves. All he did so far all night was touch her in…inappropriate places. If it weren't for Megumi's threats, she wouldn't even come near him tonight. She would have rather just shot him down from afar. Daylin's hands were currently roaming underneath her skirt, on bare thighs. "Yue, would you like to come home with me tonight?" he whispered suddenly before placing a kiss on her neck.  
  
"That would be fun, wouldn't it?" she replied placing a coy smile on her lips. From the corner of her eye she saw Kenshin at the bar. He looked like he could have killed Daylin with his fierce amber gaze.  
  
"Let's go then." With that Daylin helped Kaoru slide off his lap, before standing up himself, heading out of the club, and into the hotel it was attached to.  
  
Kenshin saw them leave and quickly followed behind. Misao and Aoshi were already by his side before he exited the club. As they reached the twenty-fourth floor with the two pent-house suites, the door to Daylin's suite just closed.  
  
"Hi!" a voice greeted. The three turned around to see Sano leaning on the doorframe in the suite to the left. "Want to see what's going on inside?" he asked with a small grin as he ushered the rest of the people in.  
  
"I feel like a peeping tom doing this," Megumi sighed in the living room. They found a laptop hooked up to some other equipment on a table. On the screen they saw a video file player program opened, and a view of the suite next door.  
  
"Where did you put the camera?" Kenshin asked.  
  
"Oh, somewhere…"  
  
* * * * * *  
  
In the next suite, Daylin was already lying on the bed in the master bedroom. Kaoru entered with a small smile gracing her delicate lips. "Why did I not see you before here? Nothing this gorgeous usually slips past my eyes."  
  
"Oh really?" she arched an eyebrow as she raised a hand to undo her hair.  
  
"No…no…sweet one, I can do that for you," the movie star murmured as he got up from the bed moving his way towards her. He wrapped his arm around her waist from behind and kissed her neck. His tongue dipped once to taste her flesh. "You taste wonderful princess." He removed the small jacket she had on and continued to trail his lips down to her shoulder.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Misao had a look of pure disgust on her face as she watched young man proceed to lower the straps of Kaoru's top on the laptop screen.  
  
"What, never seen that before? It's pretty fun." Megumi teased. Misao glared at the older woman. "Of course you need an experienced man for this. I'm sure Aoshi-san would love to demonstrate for you."  
  
Misao's eyes went wide as she turned a slight shade of red. She looked over at Aoshi who was still a mask of stone.  
  
"Ohohohohoho!" Megumi laughed, her fox ears popping up.  
  
Sanosuke sat on the sofa and turned his head to look at his long time friend. Kenshin's eyes were flaming amber now.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"You know Yue, sometimes things in this world are too beautiful to be real," Daylin whispered into Kaoru's ear. He kissed her lips softly.  
  
"What do you mean?" she asked breathlessly.  
  
"For example, photo shoots make people in this world more beautiful than they are." He paused for a moment before continuing. "Except, some things are really this beautiful, like me."  
  
Kaoru froze slightly at the tone of his voice. It was rich, smooth, yet felt cold, and slightly obscure. "I know," she replied.  
  
"Then you know you are too beautiful to be real," he breathed before he harshly grabbed her arm and flung her across the wall. He walked over to her. "I know who you are…what you do…" he whispered with a gleam in his eye. "Few do, but I am of the few."  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about," Kaoru replied going with her act as she tried to cover her nearly bare upper body.  
  
Daylin quickly shot out his hand and tore off a jewel that was on the corner of her eye. "This is," he held up the jewel, "is very clever." He crushed the jewel between his fingers  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"Shit," Kenshin swore before he ran out of the suite, followed by Aoshi and Sanosuke.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Sanosuke kicked down the door, and the three men ran inside. They found Kaoru up against the wall with a knife at her throat.  
  
"Thought you boys might be joining in on the party," Daylin replied. "The infamous group Battousai, Zanza and Okashira. How fortunate to finally meet you, face to face. Is she one of yours?"  
  
"Shut the fuck up," Sanosuke hissed.  
  
"I don't think so," Daylin replied.  
  
Suddenly Aoshi was behind him, a kodachi whipped out and in front of Daylin's throat. "Put down that pathetic knife and get away from her."  
  
"Try me," Daylin replied quickly breaking Aoshi's hold, and then faced the raven-haired man with a twisted smile. "I'm more than a face on the silver screen Okashira, so don't underestimate me. I know who you are…Shinomori Aoshi…and I know your past. About your parents, and why you ended up at an orphanage."  
  
Aoshi's eyes widened in surprise as he heard the words flowing out of Daylin's mouth. The man reached a hand to trace the curve of Aoshi's lip, but was pushed away harshly.  
  
"Pity…" Daylin mocked, "and so beautiful as well." He turned to Kenshin and Sanosuke. "Such beauties standing before me Himura Kenshin, and Sagara Sanosuke."  
  
"This guy is insane," Sanosuke murmured.  
  
"Insane? No…of course not…love," Daylin whispered. "I will see you all again soon, do not fear. Especially you," his green eyes gazing at the raven-haired man, "my beautiful dark angel." The beating of the helicopter propeller could be heard outside. With that the man ran for the window and jumped out.  
  
The three men stared at each other in silence for a few moments. "That guy is insane," Sanosuke murmured again.  
  
Aoshi didn't reply. He was caught up in his own world of thoughts. No one knew how he ended up the orphanage. No one was alive who knew what happened that night with his parents. Only Hiko knew, and possibly Saitoh. The social workers that put him in the orphanage were clueless as well. How did this one man know? It was a chilling thought.  
  
Kenshin took off his jacket and wrapped it around Kaoru. "Are you all right?"  
  
"Yeah," she replied. "He seems odd."  
  
Kenshin nodded in agreement. "Let's go."  
  
When they arrived back at their own suite all sorts of questions were thrown at the four.  
  
"What happened back there?" Misao asked rummaging through her bag for a spare shirt for Kaoru.  
  
"It was just…weird. The guy's a bit insane," Kaoru replied.  
  
"Did something happen to Aoshi or something? He's just blankly staring out a window," the girl asked looking across the room to the raven-haired man sitting on the divan.  
  
"I don't know, I couldn't hear."  
  
"Well, I hope he's going to be okay."  
  
"Me too." 


	8. 

A.N: Wai wai! I'm having so much fun writing this fic…mwhahaha…SPRING BREAK! YAY!  
  
Oh yes, remember the strange twisted man from the last chapter that had a liking for our beloved Aoshi? Justin Lock? Well, he is Justin no more, but Daylin Lock. Some of you who might have read the last recently chapter might have noticed the change already. I just don't like the name Justin, and have no clue why I even used the name. So yes, Justin is no more, Daylin is his new name, and his permanent one.  
  
Akin Sijin: No…I didn't receive your e-mail…gomen nasai! *bows*  
  
Oh and yes, someone please tell me how to use italics on ff.net. I still don't get it. (yes, I am quite slow sometimes)  
  
Chapter Eight  
  
The day was early when the students began piling into the laboratory. Kenshin sat in the corner of the laboratory nursing a cup of coffee. He was still bleary-eyed from pulling two straight all-nighters to finish his two papers. He suddenly felt two familiar ki in the room, and looked up. There in the opposite side of the room was Misao and Kaoru. Kaoru had turned her head and they locked eyes, she gave him a small smile. Kenshin nodded in acknowledgement.  
  
"Get off your lazy butt baka deshi," Hiko growled behind his student, "and stop looking at her!"  
  
"Oro!" The red-head nearly choked on his coffee.  
  
"All right, you guys know what to do, so get to it," Hiko addressed to the class. "I want those labs in by next Wednesday, no later. I have a meeting to attend to, so ask Kenshin if you have any problems."  
  
Aimlessly, the T.A walked around the lab, coffee still in one hand.  
  
"Kaoru you're such a tease," a boy murmured trying to pull the girl into his arms.  
  
"Get off of me you bastard," she hissed jabbing him in the stomach.  
  
"Fiesty for someone so small," the guy said with a grin as he nearly crashed into a laboratory bench.  
  
"Watch it," Kenshin said coming over. "You'll be paying for those microscopes if you break them Adam."  
  
"Just playing with Kaoru, no need to be so touchy T.A," Adam murmured.  
  
"Hey Kenshin!" Misao chirped with a small wave.  
  
"Hey," he replied with a smile before turning to Kaoru. "And how are you?"  
  
"Fine," Kaoru replied softly. She walked over to grab a textbook, but was slyly tripped by Adam. Kenshin's quick reflexes came alert and he caught the girl before she could fall.  
  
Cradling her soft body in his arms he asked, "Daijabou?"  
  
"Aa." The two were silent for a few moments, but promptly separated when they noticed some people staring at them.  
  
"Yo T.A, I need some help over here!" someone yelled.  
  
"Excuse me," Kenshin sighed before walking over to another student.  
  
Kaoru turned back to her microscope and went back to focusing the lens. "I think he likes you," Misao murmured.  
  
"You think?" she asked softly turning her head.  
  
"Yeah, definitely."  
  
* * * * * *  
  
The pool was relatively empty today. Only two people were swimming in the lanes. Aoshi frowned as he walked around the pool deck. His shift was usually quite active, since it was Friday afternoon. Which usually meant he spent his time reprimanding teenage boys, and trying to avoid the giggling girls. The slight sound of the water splashing gave the atmosphere an eerie tense feeling. He looked up at the clock, an hour until the swim team arrived. Aoshi had the Senior A team to coach, and in the water too today.  
  
"Yo Aoshi, message, or shall I say a delivery for you," someone in the life guarding office shouted.  
  
"Thanks Dave," he murmured.  
  
"Looks like someone has an admirer," the other man teased. He handed Aoshi one dozen red roses. Aoshi remained unemotionally as ever as he looked over the flowers. He found a note inside  
  
These reminded me of you,  
  
I haven't forgotten you yet,  
  
My beautiful dark angel.  
  
There was no signature at the bottom of the card. Aoshi's expression remained passive, yet his insides were churning. He had feeling he knew who was behind the flowers. Putting the roses away, he walked back to the pool area. By now the swim team was beginning to arrive. He saw his class waiting by the lane on the left side. They were already warmed up and ready to go.  
  
"Hey guys," he greeted the swimmers. Murmurs of greetings were returned. "I want one hundred kick and two hundred free to start with." They nodded and one by one dived in.  
  
Training was over by 9p.m. Aoshi ruffled the wet hair of one of the boys he trained. "Good work today, and keep that left arm straight during backstroke."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Bye Aoshi!" a group of girls chirped.  
  
He flashed them a small smile as he grabbed a towel. "Bye girls."  
  
"They love you. You should see what the AA team girls says about you," Dave said with a wide grin.  
  
"With this body? Oh yeah," Shannon, one of the females coached murmured brushing her fingers over his hard stomach. "I'm jealous of all those girls who get to spend time in the water with you."  
  
"What about me?" Dave pouted.  
  
Aoshi shook his head at the antics of his friends as he walked into the changing room. A few minutes later he walked out with his gear, and then signed out. Walking along the hall on his way out of the YMCA, he accidentally bumped into a girl.  
  
"Sorry," he murmured. He looked down and saw Misao. "Misao…"  
  
"Aoshi! What are you doing here?"  
  
"I life guard and coach at the pool. You?"  
  
"Playing basketball with friends."  
  
"So you're done?"  
  
"Yeah," she murmured, now slightly uncomfortable.  
  
"Would you like a ride home?"  
  
"Um, it's all right. I don't want to bother you."  
  
"You're not. Besides, it's dangerous for a young girl to be going home at this hour."  
  
"I'm 18, I think I can handle it," Misao said flatly as she looked at him evenly.  
  
Aoshi ignored her comment. "Come on." He gently pushed her towards the exit. They walked into the dark parking lot silently. There were only a few lights here and there, casting shadows on to the cement.  
  
A limo was parked next to Aoshi's car. "Odd," he murmured as he opened the trunk and threw in his bag. He heard the click and the opening of the limo door. He looked down and saw a pair of polished black shoes stepping on to the ground.  
  
"My dark angel," a voice whispered.  
  
Aoshi turned around, bracing himself for the person he would see. There was Daylin Locke, standing no less than a meter and a half away from him. The lamplight cast a spotlight on him, illuminating his golden hair. It took every once of Aoshi's will to stand there, and not run away. There were only a few things that frightened this assassin, and one happened to be the movie star standing in front of him. Daylin had a small smile gracing his perfectly sculpted lips.  
  
"Who is this?" the blond whispered, his green eyes locking with Misao's. The petite girl moved herself closer to Aoshi. The man slid an arm around her shoulder, pulling her in, protecting her. "Is she yours, Aoshi?"  
  
The raven-haired man did not answer, but his grip on Misao grew tighter. "Hhmph…she's quite pretty. Almost worthy of your beauty my angel," Daylin murmured in a soft, almost sweet tone. He reached out a pale hand to touch Aoshi's cheek, but Aoshi blocked his hand away. With a small delicate laugh he cried, "She's almost as beautiful as me."  
  
"Leave him alone," Misao finally was able to speak up. There was something about this man's presence that made her immobile.  
  
"Leave him alone?" Daylin asked in an astonished voice. Then he smiled, "Leave…him…alone," he sighed drawing out the three words as he looked at the sky. His green eyes locked back on to Misao's. "I'm sorry. I like him too much to leave him. Pity such beauty is wasted." His voice changed again to a much lighter tone. "Well, it was a pleasure to meet you again Aoshi. I will see you around…of course." The blond reached out to quickly brush the back of his hand against Aoshi's cheek, but was smacked away once more. Daylin drew his hand in quickly, resting it on a button on his upper shirt. He smiled once more, before stepping back into his limo.  
  
The ride to Misao's house was silent. Each person was lost in his or her own world of thoughts. Aoshi was becoming increasingly agitated as time seemed to progress these days. The unearthing of the memory he buried in the back of his mind ages ago was the cause of this. The memory had scarred him for most of his childhood days, until he was far into his training as an Onibanwanshu, at the age of 11. He knew his own mental instability when it came down to the memory. With his previous encounter with Daylin Lock, the memory seemed to flood back. As much as he tried to suppress it, he felt the childhood visions tug at his mind.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Crimson blood was splashed on the floor as the man took a step closer to his father. The man brought he gun and aimed at his father's chest. The trigger was pulled, and the shot rang out. From Aoshi's sport behind the couch, Aoshi watched his father fall. His eyes widened as he pushed back against the wall. He bumped into an object and turned around. There lay his mother, dead, her body brutally mutilated. The child wanted to scream, but no sound came out of his throat. He backed away from his mother's body, his blue eyes darting around, looking for a way to escape.  
  
"Such a stupid child," the man muttered, "but beautiful though. The things I do to obtain you."  
  
"Go away!"  
  
"Quiet!" The man gripped his shoulder hard and forced him to face a full- length mirror on the wall. "Look at yourself child."  
  
Aoshi looked into the mirror. He saw a terrified child staring back at him. Black hair pulled into a small ponytail and innocent blue eyes wide. The man stroked his tender cheek. "Your beauty, that's what I wanted, and that's what I have achieved. You will be mine, forever to hold and love. You will grow up to be a beautiful man."  
  
"Give it up Ashley, we have you surrounded," another voice said.  
  
Ashley turned around and smiled at the detective. "Come to join the fun?"  
  
"You are twisted. Let the boy go."  
  
"But he's my new toy!" the man pouted.  
  
"I said let the boy go!" the detective shouted, pointing the gun towards Ashley.  
  
"Fine, as you wish," the man shoved Aoshi in front.  
  
The boy ran for the detective, the man opened his arms and embraced the child. "It's all over now Aoshi."  
  
As Ashley was led out of the house he turned around and looked straight at the young boy. "You will see me again, my beautiful dark angel."  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Misao snapped out of her thoughts as the car swerved on the street. She quickly took hold of the wheel and punched Aoshi's arm with the other. The man seemed to be lost, his fingers gripped the steering wheel tightly, but he was not controlling the car. She punched him again and he came back to reality. Aoshi parked the car on the side of a street and took a deep breath. He pushed the chair back and ran a hand through his hair.  
  
"Daijobu?" she asked.  
  
The man was silent. His body was shaking slightly. He hadn't lost control like that in ten years. Misao touched his arm and felt him tremble. "Aoshi…" she murmured. "It's okay."  
  
"Misao…" he breathed looking at her.  
  
"Oh god," she thought as she looked into his pained blue eyes, "he's about to break any second."  
  
Misao climbed into the man's lap and wrapped her arms around him. "It's okay, I'm right here." She felt Aoshi stiffen, and then relax, his own arms snaking around her. He hugged her tightly, his chin resting on top of head. "It's over, whatever you had to go through, it's all in the past," she whispered.  
  
Aoshi closed his eyes and just held her. Tears began to fall from his closed eyes and on to her hair. He was sorry that Misao had to see him like this, so weak and vulnerable. He barely knew her, and here she was, comforting him and holding him like Hiko had done when he was a child. A while later, when his tears finally stopped he raised Misao's face to look at him. "Arigatou, Mi-chan."  
  
"It was nothing…" Misao whispered.  
  
"I hate being so vulnerable like this," he said looking out the window. He still held her tightly.  
  
"No one on this earth can always be strong Aoshi."  
  
"Mi-chan…"  
  
"Why do you always keep calling me that?" she asked looking up at him.  
  
For the first time Aoshi smiled warmly at her. "I first saw you at the Aoiya, when you were just a child. You trained with me for the first two years, and then I passed you on to Okina, who trained you to use kunai. Do you remember me now?"  
  
Misao's brow furrowed as she thought. She remembered her first master, a tall lanky boy. He was the Okashira she recalled. She didn't know his name, but only addressed him as Okashira. Then it dawned on her. "Okashira?"  
  
"I gave that title up two years ago," he replied.  
  
"That's right," Misao whispered. "Do you mind me if I asked you something?"  
  
"Go ahead."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
Aoshi was silent for a moment. "It happened a long time ago, demo, I'm not sure if I'm ready to tell anyone yet."  
  
"I understand if you're not ready."  
  
"Arigatou Misao," he murmured before he hugged the girl again.  
  
Misao had remained snuggled in Aoshi's embrace in the car for quite some time. Though they were three blocks away from her house, neither made an attempt to move. Aoshi wanted to smack himself for breaking down so easily. Yes, it had been ten years, and in the ten years he had mastered the art of keeping his heart closed, and his emotions in check. However meeting one man broke down that brick wall, and Aoshi cursed himself for his weakness. However, Misao's words continued to ring in his mind.  
  
No one could be strong all the time. 


	9. The beginning..

A.N: Gomen nasai minna…sorry for not being to write this story for a long time…but…BEHOLD!  I HAVE UPDATED!   

Arashi: You got what you want with Sano…read carefully…props to you for the idea!

*Chibi-Sano* Make it go BOOM! 

      Chapter Nine

Kaoru desperately attempted to cover the sounds coming from Megumi's room.  Her stereo was turned up loud, blasting out sounds from L'arc en ciel.  She was glad all the rooms were more soundproof than a usual house, or else Saitou would have had her neck in an instant.  However, as loud as her music was, they still failed to cover the sounds coming from the other room.

"Sano…" a moan came through the wall again.  Kaoru growled in frustration and threw her pen down.  Attempting to do an outline for her paper was not working under this kind of environment.  Checking the clock, she found it to be a bit after nine.  She needed to get out of the house…now.  Megumi and Sanosuke were driving her insane.

      Grabbing her coat, she left the house and walked towards the closest street with a coffee shop.  Kaoru was one of those odd types of people who were not too affected by coffee.  Every since she was twelve, one cup of coffee, and in fifteen minutes she could be fast a sleep.  Then again, it was probably because she was not a heavy coffee drinker, opting for the light mochas and frappachino's instead.  Outside, the night air was chilled.  Kaoru slipped her bare hands inside her lined pockets.  "_Damnit, I should have bought gloves."_

      She reached a main street and found Starbucks still open.  She opened the door and was greeted by the warm smell of brewing coffee.  

"Hi, how can I help you miss?" the woman at the counter asked with a smile.

"Tall white mocha."

"That will be three dollars and seventy-four cents."

"I'll get that for her," a smooth voice answered behind her, "Cappuccino please, grande."

"Kenshin?" Kaoru asked as she turned her head slightly to see the mysterious person who had just paid for her drink.

"Good evening Kaoru," he replied as he pulled out his wallet, paying for the two drinks.  "What brings you here so late at night?"

"Couldn't concentrate."

"I see.  I hope it wasn't because a colleague of mine has been too disruptive," the red-head replied with a knowing smile.

"Umm…that too," the girl replied sheepishly as she retrieved her drink.

      Kenshin placed a lid on his cappuccino and turned around.  "Would you like to join me tonight for coffee?  I'm sorry it's a bit late to ask."

"It's all right, I would love to."

      Since it was late, the seats in the coffee shop were fairly empty.  The couple opted for the couch close to the fireplace.  Kaoru wrapped both hands around the cup, in an effort to warm her hands as she stared into the fire.

"It's getting quite cold around here isn't it?" Kenshin murmured to no one in particular.  "Though not as cold as the East Coast though."

"You lived there before?" Kaoru asked.

      He smiled softly, "A long time ago."

      The two were silent again, both just content to sip their coffee in peace.  Fifteen minutes passed by, and the coffee had been finished.  The fire was still roaring, and had warmed the two young adults completely.  Not a word had been said, just the two enjoying each other's quiet warm.  "I think I should go now," Kaoru whispered, moments later, "thank you for your company."

"I wasn't much company though," the red-head replied with a soft smile, warmth dancing in his violet eyes.

"No, you were more than I've had in a long time."

"Would you like me to walk you home?  I could pick up Sano so he won't disturb the rest of your house for the night."

"That would be appreciated," Kaoru replied as she got up to throw both their coffee cups away.  Kenshin helped put on her coat, and then the two walked out of the coffee store.

      The air was once again bitter cold in the night.  Kaoru shivered slightly as she shoved her hands into her pockets once again.  "Cold?" Kenshin murmured, watching the girl.

      The raven-haired girl turned her head.  "I'm okay, thanks."

"You sure?" he asked before unwrapping the scarf around his neck, and then wrapping it around hers.  "Don't want you to catch a cold.  Shishou wouldn't be too happy for a bright student to miss his class."

"The man is a dictator."

"Hey, I live with that man."

"You do?" Kaoru stopped and thought to herself for a moment.  "Of course you do…sorry, I'm pretty much an idiot when I don't sleep."

"Sort of not really.  We work for whoever you work for."

      She nodded as they turned a corner and began to enter the neighbourhood.  "So…tell me, what's it like doing your job?"

"Which one?  T.A?  Or…"

"The other one."

"Don't you do the same thing?"

"No.  Apparently you do the dirty work.  We just gather the information for you, or somehow hurt someone to obtain the information.  We are the intelligence team that works along side you, just never have been introduced until now."

"Ahhh…I see."

"You guys get all the fun with blowing stuff up…"

"Oh no…demolition expert is Sano, he has fun with his explosives and what not."  Kenshin paused for a moment.  "Actually our work is not that fun," he continued in a softer hushed tone, "Sometimes it's difficult…" 

      Suddenly the assassin froze in his spot, cutting off his sentence and grabbing Kaoru's hand to make her stay.  Something just changed drastically in the air to the right.  Kenshin looked towards the direction and found himself staring into a pitch black alleyway.  Kaoru tugged on his sleeve.  "Your grip is too tight."

"Sorry," he mumbled as he continued to stare into the dark street, however he did not let go of her wrist.  Kenshin turned his head slightly, straining to hear any sound coming from the path, but he heard nothing.  Then a sudden clatter emitted from the darkness, the distinct sound of metal hitting the floor.

      Kaoru's eyes widened as she realized what had just happened.  "Kenshin…"

      Grabbing his cell phone he quickly dialled a few numbers, then he flipped his phone shut.

***********************************************************************************************

      A buzzing was felt in Aoshi's khaki pocket, and the man unwound an arm around the younger girl was holding.  He flipped open the phone and scanned the screen.

"Aoshi…what…" Misao tried to say, but she was cut off.

"Something just came up," he gently picked her up and put her back on her seat next to him.  "I'm driving you home."

"What's going on?"

"Kenshin's found something.  He needs backup."

"It's fine I can go with you."

"No you won't, it's too dangerous."

"I have been through worse."

"You are going home."

"But…"

"You are not accustomed to such work.  I know what you girls do. It is quite different from ours.  I don't want you to fall into any form of danger."

"But Aoshi…"

"Don't argue with me, this is not the time."

      Misao glared at the man through the corner of her eyes.  "You're treating me like a child."

      Pulling over to her house he turned his head and looked at her.  "I don't want to put you into any danger."

"You won't."

"No," he replied firmly.

"Stop being over protective!"

"There is no such thing as being over protective when you are working in this field," the raven-haired man said softly.  "Now be good and go."

"What about what happened earlier?  What if that guy shows up?"

      Aoshi inwardly smiled at her concern.  "I will be fine.  Now go."  Casting one last glance at the man, Misao got out of the car.  

      The girl watched the car speed off in another direction and sighed to herself.  Shinomori Aoshi, such an intriguing man.  She remembered him well from the past as her Okashira.  He was tall and always seemed so graceful, but only when he was wielding his twin kodachis.  Other times he seemed awkward, and too serious for his young age.  Who would have thought this boy would have grown to be so beautiful.  She found herself to be attracted to this stoic and cold person during their first mission together, and today's encounter only strengthened this attraction.

"_Mysterious and gorgeous, what a nice combination_," Misao thought dreamily.  Then her mind wondered to what had happened after he received his message on his phone, and she stared down the street that Aoshi had quickly departed on.

***********************************************************************************************

      Silent footsteps to others were not nearly silent enough to be missed by the red-head that stood at the opening of a dark alley, one hand firmly clasped around a girl's delicate wrist.

"Catch," a soft voice replied.

      A sword was thrown to Kenshin and he caught it smoothly with his free hand.  "Kaoru, I want you to go to Aoshi's car and stay there, have the lights off and the doors locked."  He pressed a small object into her hand.  "When we arrive near the car I will give you a call.  Anyone else that knocks or tries to get in, just drive away."

"Are you going to be okay?"

"Hai, I'll be fine, do not worry about me," he whispered before letting her hand go.  She walked past Aoshi who handed her the car keys.  Seeing she was a good distance off, Kenshin nodded his head once towards the alley.

      The atmosphere was dead silent as the two men proceeded into the dark alley.  The two assassins were used to lurking around in the shadows, thus their eyes easily getting use to having the half moon as the only source of light.  They reached a dead end and found two paths branching out.  The two men stood completely still, until a few seconds the sound of soft footsteps were coming towards them.  Aoshi's head turned to the left and he moved himself closer to the darkened area, grabbing Kenshin's shoulder to quickly pull him back as well.

      Strangely enough, an area on that path had distinct moonlight streaming down to meet the cement pavement, as if acting like a spotlight.  There seemed to be an object lying just behind, in the shadows of that beam of light.  More footsteps were heard as Aoshi and Kenshin waited to see if a person would come into visibly view.  It seems that the person was walking around in circles, around the object lying on the ground.

      Soon a tall figure came into the light.  Dressed in dark, elegant evening men's wear was Daylin Locke.  

Somehow the raven-haired man was not surprised.

      The perfectly built film star took out a sword that he was holding behind his back with one hand.  Blood could be seen on the cutting edge of the blade.  Daylin brought the sword up and licked the crimson liquid once.  Looking up, a strange small smile graced his graceful features.  "Come out wherever you are, my beautiful dark angel.  I know you're there.  Your pretty little red-headed friend as well."

      The two men did not move from their spot.  

"My angel, I have a present for you lying here."  

Aoshi and Kenshin glanced at each other.  The smaller man shook his head, keeping a hand on Aoshi to keep him at bay.  They knew that Daylin had probably killed something, or someone. 

The blond hair man licked his lips slowly, to get rid of the small amount of blood at the corner of his mouth.  "I'm pretty your present wants to see you…she's quite anxious.  She tastes quite lovely as well." 

      Aoshi stepped into view with Kenshin beside him.   

"Aoshi…you're here, just as a thought," the man said in a sickly sweet voice.  "I think you're attracted to me, since we keep meeting so frequently."

      The raven-haired man ignored the comment, "What the hell did you do this time?"

"Oh nothing, just got rid of a piece of trash that has been bothering me for some time, that's all," Daylin replied with a haphazard shrug.  He stepped aside and swept a hand towards the figure lying on the ground.  "Would you like to see?"  
  


      Kenshin was the first to step closer.  His eyes were now amber as he carefully walked over.  Just standing outside of the streaming moonlight, he was able to see what was lying on the ground.  Unfortunately, it was not something he needed to see.  There, strewn on the floor was a young woman's mutilated body.  Blood pooled around her, soaking into her clothes and dying them a deep red.

"She was truly an annoying woman.  Yes, all powerful and quite pretty, but there is no one that is my equal match," Daylin said.  "So you see Aoshi, you should not run from me either.  She tried to, stupid girl.  But at the end I got what I wanted, and she got what she deserved from running.  And the book you stole from her Aoshi, I can guarantee you that every single one of those people will be dead by sunrise."  

The two assassins looked at each other.  The girl lying on the ground was Micaela Lavender, the one that the government had been after for the past half a year.  Yet it seems that they were just looking at a pawn. 

"People are so unreliable these days you know."

"Are you truly stupid enough to tell us that you are behind this?" Kenshin asked, his voice low and cold.

      Daylin smiled and laughed softly.  "Perhaps.  What?  Am I supposed to be afraid that you will hunt me down?  Like you have with all your other targets?"

"You should be afraid," Aoshi murmured before he unsheathed his blades and suddenly attacked the blond man.  However by the time he got there, Daylin had disappeared and re-appeared behind him. 

      The red-head observing the battle from the outside was puzzled as he found that Daylin did seem to disappear into thin air, and appear somewhere else suddenly.  Kenshin realized that they were not dealing with a normal human being.

      Aoshi straightened as he felt the tip of a sword pressed gently against the back of his neck.  "Too slow angel darling," the other man drawled before throwing his blade away.  "It is a waste of time battling here if this is the competition I get.  I could have killed you in a second."

"Don't bet on it the second time," he hissed glaring at the blond.

"Well, I need to get going.  I will see you later."  The man walked into moonlight, and they vanished.  

      The two assassins watched the man walk away and disappear.  Both of them noticing a strange design that looked tattooed on to the lower back of his neck.  A blanket of silence shrouded the two, but was broken by Kenshin finally speaking up, "He's not normal."

"I don't think he's even human," Aoshi breathed.

"We have no clue what we are up against," Kenshin murmured, "with Micaela Lavender's death, this throws everything off.  The rapes and murders could even be a cover up for Daylin."

      The raven-haired man nodded, still staring into the dark alley.  

      The true fight had finally began.


End file.
